Central Institute for Mental Health

Department for Geriatric Psychiatry

Lutz Frölich has started his scientific work by investigating animal models mimicking biochemical and histological features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (funded by Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds) and also doing pathobiochemical research on AD with post-mortem brain tissue (several projects funded by the German brain league). Here, his main focus was on the role of the brain insulin receptor system in the pathogenesis of AD (funded by BMBF program - Diseases of the Basal Ganglia). In clinical studies, he was among the investigators in studies on the diagnostic validity of psychometric tests, the diagnostic utility of the quantitative EEG and several neuroimaging modalities (MRI, fMRI, MR-spectroscopy) (e.g. funded by AFI, NEST-DD study, funded by 5.FP of EU). His recent work mainly focused on prospective cohort studies on the clinical presentation, genetic influence, validity of biomarkers and therapeutic strategies of Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment (The German Dementia Competence Network, funded by BMBF; DESCRIPA study, funded by the 6.FP of EU; EDAR study funded by 7. FP of EU) as well as on development of guidelines (Steering committee of the DGPPN/DGN S3 guideline on dementia, WFSBP guideline committee on Dementia), and on the design and conduction of clinical trials. In particular, this was research on the clinical course of dementias (ICTUS study, funded by 5.FP of EU), the importance of risk factors and prevention (e.g. psychosocial risk factors of AD, funded by AFI; EuroCoDe project, funded by the 7.FP of EU) and randomized controlled clinical trials of new therapies for dementia in particular Alzheimer’s disease (e.g. combination therapy in AD and MCI). He is among the steering committee or principal investigator in the following ongoing national multicenter clinical trials: 1. Simvastatin effects in amnestic MCI on conversion to AD (funded by BMBF/DFG program on clinical trials), 2. Neuropsychologically-based Behavioural Therapy in early AD (BMG-Lightower projects), 3.) Buproprione as treatment for apathy in AD (funded by BMBF/DFG program on clinical trials), 4.) several Phase IIa – III clinical trials in AD, sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.

He is Co-chair of the Executive Committee of the European Alzheimer’s disease consortium (EADC) and is Chief Organizing Officer and among the Executive Committee of the German Dementia Competence Network.

He has published more than 200 original data and review articles in peer-reviewed journals and 70 book chapters or other publications.